Collapsible box.



M. H. JONES. COLLAPSIBLE BOX. APPUCATION FILED APR. 14, 1915.

Patented J an. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETSQSHEET 1.

FITTORNEY rinrrnn sra'rn rarnnr carton.

MATl-IEW H. Jones, or onnsco, rnnnsrnvnnia.

coLLArsIBLn Box.

Application filed April 14, 1915.

T 0 CM whom it may concern Be it known that I, MATHEW HENRY JoNEs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Cresco, in the county of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to folding or collapsible boxes or crates, and has for its primary object to provide a sheet metal box structure, the several walls or sections of which may be quickly and compactly arranged in foldedrelation to eachother so that a large number of the boxes will occupy comparatively small space in storage or shipment.

The invention has for another very important object to provide improved means for retaining the several sections of the box in their open or set up positions, whereby all danger of the same being accidentally collapsed is obviated and a very strong and substantial box is produced.

It is an additional and very important object of my invention to provide means whereby all of the elements of the box struce ture may be securely locked or held in their relative collapsed positions by means of a single looking or latch element.

It is a further general object of the invention to produce a foldable or collapsible metallic box which will be very serviceable and convenient in practical. use, light in weight and capable of manufacture at comparatively small cost.

, With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a plan view of my improved metallic box showing the sections thereof in their open or set up positions; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the box collapsed or folded; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the folded box; Fig. 4 is an end elevation, partly broken away, the box being in its set up condition; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the several sections of the box extended; and Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line A B of Fig. 5. I

Referring in detail to the drawings, the letter F indicates what, for convenience in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. ill, i916.

Seria1No.21,311.

description, may be considered the back or rear wall of the box structure. This rear wall is provided upon its upper edge with a longitudinally extending laterally disposed marginal flange N and upon its end edges with the similar flanges P, P. The other or lower longitudinal edge of the box wall F is formed with a plurality of hinge knuckles, clearly shown in Fig. 5.

G designates the bottom wall of the box which is also provided along one of its longitudinal edges with spaced hinge knuckles which are adapted to be arranged in alternate relation to the hinge knuckles on the rear box wall F, said knuckles receiving a suitable hinge rod or pintle, as will be readily understood. The other longitudinal edge of the bottom wall G of the box is hingedly connected in a similar manner to the front wall J. This front wall is pro vided upon its upper or free longitudinal edge with a reinforcing head while upon the end edges of this front wall of the box, the outwardly projecting flanges K, K are formed.

H and H designate the end walls of the box structure which are hingedly connected to the respective ends of the rear wall F at the edges of the marginal flanges P, P thereon. The upper edges of these end walls are, also strengthened or reinforced in a similar manner to the front wall J, and the free end edges of the walls H. H are obliquely cut, as shown, and provided thereon with the inclined longitudinally extending flanges L, L, respectively, which are spaced from the body plates of the end walls. thereby producing grooves or channels for a purpose which will hereinafter be more fully referred to. The lower longitudinal edge of each end wall is also provided with an inwardly projecting flange R, B, respectively. It is to be particularly noted, from reference to Figs. d and 6 of the drawings, that the end marginal flanges P, P of the rear wall F, extend downwardly to the upper surface of the bottom wall of the box, and over the ends of the hinge pintle or rod which connects said bottom and rear walls.

Upon the marginal flange N on the upper edge of the rear wall F, the hanger bars A are secured at one of their ends by suitable pivot pins. The other ends of these bars are angularly disposed and provided with openings to receive nails, hooks or other elements from which the box may be conveniently suspended. There is also secured upon the marginal flange N at the approximate center thereof, a keeper plate 13 which is provided in one edge with a notch or recess 13. This notch in the keeper plate is adapted to receive one end of a pivoted latch member C which is mounted upon the under side of the bottom wall G of the box. Upon the inner face of the front wall J and adjacent to the upper edge thereof and at each end, turn buttons D, D are pivotally mounted and are adapted to be engaged at their free ends through the slots E, E in the respective end w lls of the box structure.

When the box is collapsed or folded as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the front and bottom walls thereof are folded and disposed within the plane of the end marginal flanges P, P on the rear wall of the box, while the two end walls H and H are folded inwardly upon each other. The latch member C is then turned so as to engage one end of the same in the notch of the keeper plate B while the other end of said latch member is angularly bent, as at C, for engagement over the upper edge of the outermost end wall of the box. Thus, it will be apparent that, by means of this single. latch element, all of the parts are securely held in their folded positions. When the parts have thus been folded, the hangers A are turned so as to dispose their angular ends over the opposite ends of the rear wall F. When it is desired to set the box up in its open position, after releasing the latch member 0 from engagement upon the end wall of the box, the two end walls are moved outwardly in opposite directions. With the bottom wall G upon the ground or floor and the rear wall F standing vertically, the front wall J is then lifted and moved outwardly to engage the end flanges K, K thereon in the channels or grooves between the flanges L, L and the body plates of the end walls H, H. Owing to the inclination of the forward ends of these end walls, it will be seen that the front wall J will also be disposed in a forwardly inclined position from the bottom wall of the box when the parts are connected. The buttons D, D are then turned to engage the same in the slots E, E of the end walls. The several elements of the box structure are thus maintained in their extended or erect positions. llhe longitudinal flanges R, R on the lower edges of the end walls, project beneath the bottom wall G of the box to support the same when the box is lifted or moved from place to place.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of using my improved collapsible or folding box will be fully understood. The several sections or walls of the box are constructed of sheet metal of requisite strength and thickness so that the box structure will effectively withstand the strains or pressures which may devolve thereon in the particular use of the box. Such a collapsible box structure may be advantageously employed for the packing and shipment of various commercial commodities, or the same may also be found serviceable for use as a grocers bin, bread box or various analogous purposes. It is, of course, understood that the box may be manufactured in various sizes or capacity, and owing to the fact that the same is entirely constructed of sheet metal. the device will be extremely strong and durable and capable of withstanding rough handling or severe usage. The several walls or sections of the box may be very easily and quickly extended to their erect or set up positions or compactly folded and held against relative movement, in the manner above stated, so that a maximum number of the collapsed boxes can be stored or packed in a minimum of space.

While I have shown and described the preferred form and construction of the several features of my device, it is to be understood that the same are susceptible of considerable modification therein, and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. A collapsible box including a rear wall having a -laterally disposed longitudinal flange on its upper edge, a bottom wall hingedly connected to the lower edge of the rear wall, a front wall hingedly connected to said bottom wall, end walls hinged to the ends of said rear wall, said front and end walls of the box having means to effect an interlocking connection between the same, means on said front wall to engage the end wall of the box and hold said walls in interlocking connection with each other, said front and bottom walls being adapted to be folded against the rear wall and the end walls of the box structure folded inwardly upon each other, a keeper secured upon the flange of said rear wall, and a latch member on said bottom wall adapted to engage said keeper and also engage one of the end walls to retain the several walls of the box structure in their collapsed positions and hold the same against relative movement.

2. A collapsible box including a rear wall provided with laterally projecting flanges on its opposite ends and upon its upper edge, a bottom wall hinged to the lower edge of the rear wall, a front wall hingedly connected to the bottom wall, end walls hinged upon the edges of the end flanges on said rear wall, said front wall and the end walls of the box being provided with means for eilecting an interlocking connection between the same when the walls are set up, said front wall being adapted to be folded inwardly upon the bottom wall and said front and bottom walls folded against the rear wall to lie between the end fianges thereon, said end walls being foldable inwardly upon each other and against the bottom wall, a keeper centrally secured upon the longitudinal flange of the rear wall, and a pivoted member mounted upon the bottom wall adapted for engagement at one of its ends with said keeper and having its other end angularly ofiset for engagement upon one of said end walls whereby the several walls of the box are held in their collapsed positions and against relative movement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MATHEW H. JONES. Witnesses:

ARTHUR J. Boennr, DAVID F. VVARNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents, Washington, D. C. 

